HOW THE LAST ACT OF HAMLET WAS WRITTEN. 79

“To the best you can. Come get up—there’sa good fellow. That’s
right—you'll stand well enough in a minute or two. Now, just dip
your head in the water again, and then sit down, and try and finish
it somehow. Burbage is ina deuce of astate. See, I’ve brought
the manuscript.”

And he spread it temptingly on the table, and led the complying
dramatist to a chair, putting a pen in his hand. |

Will gazed helplessly at the paper, and pressed his burning’
forehead.

“That’s right!” said Essex. “Just look it over, and you’ll soon
remember all about it; and will hit upon some way of getting rid of
the characters. Let ’em all fight, and kill each other—Why, Will !—
situp. He’s asleep again!”

So he was—with his head on the manuscript.

“There, this wont do! Will! you’re enough to drive a saint mad!”
And the Earl administered several hard thumps and pinches to the
somnolent bard.

“ Don’t—there’s a good fellow,” said Will, indistinctly. “ You can’t
think what a state I’m in.”

“Yes, I can, anda beastly state itis. But you shan’t go to sleep.”

“Just half an hour?” said Will, imploringly.

“No—I tell you.”

“Ten minutes?”

“Well, ten minutes—not a second more. Then we’ll have you up